Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the ability to contest particular calls from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
